Denmark and Sweden criticise Finnish-Norwegian call to Putin
Finland and Norway urged Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine, but their neighbours questioned the initiative and its implications for European unity.
Danish and Swedish leaders challenged a joint telephone call to Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The disagreement emerged as the four Nordic leaders gathered in Helsinki for a Nordic Council session.
Stubb and Støre pressed Putin to halt Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and pursue substantive negotiations towards a lasting settlement. Their account of the conversation specified that they represented only their own countries, rather than Europe collectively. They subsequently called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who thanked them for their support.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the initiative had not been coordinated with other leaders and questioned what it could accomplish. She cited Russia's escalation in Ukraine and hybrid warfare as reasons to doubt Moscow's willingness to pursue peace, arguing that Europeans needed to maintain a united position.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed limited expectations for direct discussions with Putin. He warned that diplomacy could be risky if it divided Europe's position, but stressed that he did not yet know the content of the call and was not saying it had caused such a split. Talks encouraging Russia towards peace on Ukraine's terms would be welcome, he added.
Defending the approach, Støre argued that European dialogue with Russia should complement messages from the US administration, whose view of the war differs. Stubb said the conflict's outcome would affect European security and that ending it required direct discussions. Støre had recently hosted peace talks in Oslo.
